Again, But Better(25)
He puts a finger to his temple. “Good with directions.”
Pilot buys me a watermelon gelato, and we make our way down to a tourist-swarmed Colosseum. We find Sahra and Babe in the line to get in. While we’re waiting, I express my extreme disappointment in not being able to document the day because my digital camera is in my purse—and immediately Babe offers to let me borrow hers whenever I feel like snapping a picture. I fight the urge to wrap her in one of those abrupt, emotional thank-you hugs because I don’t want to come off as too dramatic. I go a little boneless for a second, looking from her to Pilot. I got real lucky being assigned to Flat Three.
1/16/11 11:50 p.m.
I thought I would be tired, having spent the last two days flouncing about in Rome and then traveling all the way back to the Karlston, but I’m invigorated right now. I’m riding this weird post-travel high. I already edited all the pictures, put them up on Facebook, and finished dramatizing a first draft of the harrowing tale of almost losing my passport for my blog (“That Time I Lost My Passport”). I’m happy with it, but I need to put down a more personal recounting of the weekend so I don’t forget any of the details that made it super-wonderful.
THE ROME TRIP 1/14–1/16/2011: A HIGHLIGHTS REEL
We Explored the Colosseum
When the time was right, I switched into photographer mode, borrowing Babe’s camera and snapping solo pictures of Babe, Pilot, and Sahra. Afterward, Babe took the camera away and shooed me and Pilot out in front of the lens. Immediately, I felt nervous and self-conscious. Is it okay to be in a picture alone with Pilot? Babe snapped the shot. Pilot then took the camera from Babe and instructed the girls to go stand at my side, and he snapped one of the three of us.
We Saw Super-Ruiny Ruins
We headed up the hills surrounding the Colosseum where temples and ruins of all sorts of ancient architectural grandeur were scattered. We took our time, stopping to gawk in awe at everything. I basically ended up hijacking Babe’s camera for the entirety of the hike, directing everyone into different poses in front of all sorts of beautiful giant structures. You don’t see things like this in the United States. We’re too new. Everything in Rome feels old, weathered, and loaded with character.
I Ate More Ravioli
Around noon, we stopped for more Italian food. Sahra offered to cover my meal. I hugged her. She politely patted my back until I pulled away. I told her I’d pay her back as soon as I gained access to money. The three of them drank more Italian wine, and I worried more about my purse. Pilot promised he’d come with me to check out the trattoria again after we ate, so I quickly devoured the most delicious ravioli I’ve ever had.
We Found My Purse
Thank the heavens! When I raced us back to the trattoria, it was open, and they had my purse behind the counter. Babe whooped, Sahra smiled, and Pilot loosed an excited HEY of triumph. My relief was palpable. It was all I could do not to tear up as I described the items inside, and the owner handed the cross-body to me across the hostess table. I fell to the floor in a low squat and hugged it to my chest, feeling so blessed that I got to keep going—the adventure wasn’t over yet.
We Saw the Pantheon
Pilot took the lead, paving our path to the Pantheon with the map he had stashed in his back pocket. We headed down a narrow street lined with little shops that emptied into an open square dominated by one single, giant stone structure—the Pantheon.
I did a whole project on the Pantheon in high school, so walking up to it felt more surreal than any other landmarks we visited. I reverently stepped through its garden of pillars and into the circular cavern within. Niches line the circumference of the chamber, each one filled with some sort of historical statue or tomb, and when you look up at the ceiling, there’s an enormous uncovered hole in the center called the oculus. You can look right up at the sky! While I was ogling up at it, Pilot said, “Give me your camera,” and when I dropped my gaze, he was right in front of me. I handed it to him. He hurried back a few feet and snapped a picture of me inside the Pantheon. Babe saw him take it, came over, took the camera from him, and told him to get into the picture with me. My skin buzzed as he sidled up next to me and settled his arm around my waist. Another picture of just the two of us. This one, on my camera. This one would be (is) in my Facebook album.
The four of us made our way around the circumference of the room, exploring all the niches and reading the signs inlaid with small bursts of history. Robert Langdon–related trivia kept zooming around my brain. I got to a point where I couldn’t help myself, and yelped about it excitedly.
Me: flails Guys, remember when Robert Langdon came here in The Da Vinci Code?
Pilot, Babe, and Sahra: crickets
I proceeded to insist upon their reading of Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code.
We Saw the Trevi Fountain
We all threw coins over our shoulders and made wishes. The fountain itself was fantastical! There was so much detail in every statue, I wouldn’t have been surprised if it sprang to life (but that would be horrifying; there’s one too many practically naked intense-looking men in that fountain).
We Climbed the Freakin’ Vatican
Sunday (this morning), we spilled out of a bus into an area cordoned off with an impressive array of giant pillars. It legit felt like we were walking into Mount Olympus. The four of us wandered into the most breathtaking square thus far. I’ve never seen architecture this grandiose, this—epic.